In the Path of Lirael
by EvilGenius92389
Summary: When Lirael mysteriously disappears, it's NOT up to Ellimere's daughter Firali, the Abhorsen-In-Waiting, to find her and the circumstances of her disappearance. But they have a way of finding her . . . some added . . . Please read 'n' review!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Nope, sorry, all of Garth Nix's characters here are his, not mine. Mine? Mine? Who says they're mine? What do you mean, a rumor that I'm holding them hostage?! Me?!  
  
erialarrowman: thanks for being both nice and helpful. As you probably noticed, I rewrote quite a bit, although more on the first chapter than the prologue. Give me feedback!  
  
A/N: I haven't read Abhorsen, so my canon's probably all wrong. I'd appreciate you telling me if I'm getting anything wrong . . . PLEASE review. I'd really like some feedback here!  
  
Prologue  
  
It was quite late, and cold, and there was but one passerby on the streets in the Old Kingdom at so late an hour and in such weather. The lone traveler was a young but beautiful lady swathed head to toe in a long black cloak. Her rightfully cheery round face was gaunt with exhaustion and worry, her naturally flowing golden hair greasy and matted. The young woman's honey-caramel skin and clear, bright emerald eyes easily identified her as one of the Clayr, the folk who dwelled in the Glacier and had the ability to see the future. Unfortunately, easily identifiable was the last thing she wanted to be right now. She drew her cloak more tightly around her and hurried along to her destination. As she walked, she mumbled a handful of words, over and over again, like a mantra.  
"Lirael . . . royal family . . . curse . . . no . . . my duty . . . must warn . . ." She shivered, and her hands and lips formed the Charter marks for light, comfort, and warmth. A miniscule flame appeared in front of her, hovering and following like a magical lapdog.  
Suddenly, the woman heard what sounded like something that could be footsteps, if the mood took it, echo on the cobblestones as someone came out of an alley. As something emerged, it became obvious that these were no real footsteps, given the creature's lack of feet. It was a person-- no, a creature-- almost eight feet tall, put together from the darkest of darkness. Darkness that brought to mind the darkness of a small child, shrieking from a nightmare in the middle of the night, when nobody hears. The darkness of what is seen from tightly shut eyes as the viewer's loved one takes their final breath. The darkness, ultimately, of hopelessness and despair. The figure glided toward the bedraggled woman, wearing a black cloak sewn with threads of blood, hatred, and betrayal. The Clayr gasped softly, and the look on her face was the utterly hopeless one of someone who has staked everything and now is confronted with the very thing she hides from. Though she knew little of death and the dead, the person-- or thing-- approaching her was quite obviously one of the Greater Dead.  
"Dovilan!" she cried in disgust and horror. He, or it, smiled a mockery of a smile. When it began to speak, it was in a low, dry rasp that made the hearer think of the triumphant cry of a murderer successfully completing their work, of revenge being slowly and deliciously extracted. It sent shivers up the woman's spine. "I'm afraid we can't have you finishing your little errand. /Think/ about the repercussions," Dovilan hissed. It reached toward her, and she found herself unable to move as it sent her into Death, through gate after gate, until she finally went past the Ninth Gate.  
Not far away, in the palace, nestled within the capital city of Belisaere, the young Queen Ellimere gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, and named her immediately-"Firali".  
  
Yuck, it's awful, isn't it? Oh, well. Take a nanosecond or two, please, and give me some helpful feedback. Tell me if hated it, loved it, whatever . . . I appreciate it! 


	2. Something of a Shock

DISCLAIMER: *sniffle* sadly enough, all of this (except for unfamiliar characters, like Firali) is Garth Nix's, not mine. *whine* But I /waaaannnnnnnnaaaaa/ have them! *sulk*  
  
Hope you've noticed I've edited this a bit. In the future, by the way, if you're going to read this (please!), remember to check the old chapters, too, because they're gonna be revised a lot, and there may be some significant changes. Thank you sooo much, everyone who reviewed, I appreciate both the suggestions and the compliments. (Especially the compliments, lol!) But I do. And, yayyy! I finally read Abhorsen, so my canon should be a little better from now on.  
  
erialarrowman: I tried to add more physical descriptions, what do you think?  
  
Swanny: Thanks, that was a reeaaallllllllyyy nice review! Sorry about the chapter being repeated thing, my stupid computer messed it up. I've changed it back (duh). And I've (yay!) written more. Please tell me how much better (or worse, for that matter) I could be!  
  
Kavindra Miette: *blush* Thanks!!! I was in a kinda dramatic mood when I was getting up to the bird part, and then I read over what I'd written, giggled, and added the bird chirping. I moved it to the next chapter, though. I think "She's gone" is a nice chapter ending. Please keep reviewing!  
  
melody: gosh, thanks! You have no idea how good that made me feel to read. You brightened up my day. (-:  
  
otakuprincess: thanks, hope you got my email. Hope you're having fun in Hawaii, send me a coconut!  
  
Today was /not/ going to be a good day. Princess Firali was certain of it, in an almost subconscious, splinter-just-beneath-the-skin sort of way. As she paced back and forth, something she did not usually do, she tugged absently on a lock of her straight, raven-black hair. Her skin, naturally pale, was white as a sheet. /Charter blast it/, she cursed to herself, '/what is *wrong* with me?/  
It wasn't normal for the lighthearted young princess to act this way. There wasn't even a direct reason to pinpoint for her feelings of foreboding and depression. She was scarcely aware that what she was feeling was indeed foreboding-- just that this was, on the whole, a gloomy, dismal world, and certainly wouldn't get better today.  
With a visible effort, Firali shook the feeling off. She forced herself to dance down the hall, imitating the pointless glee habitual only to the young. Suddenly, she skidded to a halt, inches in front of the man who had appeared that very second.  
His uniform, embroidered with golden towers, clearly marked him as a servant in the palace of the Old Kingdom's royal family. His stubborn chin, severely parted brown hair, and the pointedly dignified look in his beady eyes marked him as one who thought the above fact worth mentioning. The servant, with a look of vague distaste, stepped aside.  
"Princess," he began formally, "Her majesty, the queen Ellimere of the Old Kingdom, requires your attendance in the royal chambers. Immediately."  
Firali, commonly called Firi, rolled her eyes. "You mean Mother wants to talk to me?" she translated. The servant, whose name was Jalen, scowled.  
  
"Well . . . yes," he admitted reluctantly. Firi stifled a giggle. Jalen's scowl deepened. "About . . . ?" she drew out.  
"About the Abhorsen and Remembrancer Lirael Goldenhand," said Jalen stiffly. Firali's gloom dissipated a little. Her great-aunt Lirael had been gone for quite some time on some trip or another to aid the Clayr.  
"You mean she's back from that trip? Great!" she cried excitedly. Lirael was half-Clayr and Firi's mentor, she would know why she was feeling like this! "Well, if she's back, I've got to meet with her for Abhorsen lessons in just a minute-- can't this wait?" It was only recently she'd found out that she was Abhorsen-In-Waiting, and Firi lost no opportunities to work it into the conversation. She also wanted to talk to her great-aunt --though Lirael was Firali's great-aunt, she was her mother's age-- as soon as possible about how she felt . . . but it was probably nothing. She was just getting carried away, Firi decided. Jalen's icy voice sliced through her thoughts as effectively as a knife through butter."I do not know if she is back or not; that is all I was told. And, /no,/ this cannot wait."  
Firali considered making a fuss-- she /really/ wanted to talk to Lirael-- but she decided against it. Ellimere had been just a little . . . fragile . . . ever since Sabriel finally went past the Ninth Gate, a year or two ago. Since then, Firi had tried to be a little more understanding to her mother-- Touchstone had died within a week of his wife, and Ellimere's hard shell had cracked a bit from the double tragedy. So, heaving a great adolescent sigh, in case any were under the delusion that she was going along obediently, Firi followed Jalen to Queen Ellimere's conversation room.  
The young princess nearly gasped in surprise when she saw her mother. Ellimere's normally calm countenance was now wild-eyed and flushed, and her sleek cap of hair, always piled atop her head in a no-nonsense manner, was in disarray. The complaint that was on the tip of Firali's tongue disappeared to see her mother in such a state.  
"M-mother! What's wrong?!" came out instead.  
"It's Lirael," came Ellimere's response, in a would-be-calm sort of voice. "She's gone."  
  
Well, I changed it a little bit . . . okay, it's not much. PLEASE review and tell me what I can do better-it takes you, like, half a second, and it'll brighten up my day ( . . . I'll do the same to you, if you want. 


	3. Firali Has To Deal

Disclaimer: Me? Kidnap all of Garth Nix's characters and hide them under my bed? I'm shocked! However could you THINK such a thing?! Ellimere, Sam, be quiet! I'm /not/ letting you out!  
  
Kavindra: Awwww, thanks. I'm still grinning insanely. Y'know, you're the only one who reviewed my story after I changed it. *sulks, snarls* grrrrr . . . your review really made me smile (okay, laugh hysterically, but whatever). As to the who's-going-to-save-Lirael thing, well, you'll just have to wait *evil grin*. But don't worry, it won't be long-- if it's not in this chapter, it'll be in the next. Happy reading!  
  
Later that night, Firi reflected that she had rather expected some sort of ominous music to accompany her mother's terrible words, or perhaps a clap of thunder-- even lightning would have done. As it happened, though, the only accompaniment the statement got was the hopelessly optimistic twitter of a bird on the windowsill.  
  
Her jaw dropped, and she concentrated all of her much-depleted energy on shutting it again. She couldn't believe it.  
  
/Goodness/, thought a tiny voice in the back of Firali's mind, /that last statement certainly was rather melodramatic/.  
  
She abruptly pulled herself back to the situation at hand. This was serious. This time, Firi paid no attention to the inner voice that murmured, /tsk, tsk. Drama, drama/. A naturally carefree and cheerful person, that inner voice was, as she had explained once to her friend, "kinda my way of keeping my sanity when things get serious, y'know?". However, it often got in the way-- especially when she accidentally blurted out what it said. And now it was about to.  
  
She tuned in to what her mother was saying. It would not do to miss this. Inconveniently enough, however, her brain had shut down almost completely, and Firali's uncomprehending, panicked mind was tossed around in a thunderstorm of black and red.  
  
Ellimere, in the midst of her own near hysteria, vaguely noticed the glazed look in her daughter's eyes. She really had expected little more-- the princess was very young, after all. But the queen had no choice but to tell her.  
  
This is a really short chapter, but oh well. The next one, which I'm typing as you read this, will be a lot longer. Please, give me reviews! 


	4. Hello, Letharen

Disclaimer: Let's use a little math: the transitive property, I think. EvilGenius92389 = no money. Garth Nix = money. Therefore, EvilGenius92389 does not = Garth Nix. Math is, incidentally, my worst subject.  
  
A/N: Letharen is pronounced luh-THAR-uhn, and Leth is pronounced how it sounds. Firali is fuh-RAL-ee. Vasrial is pronounced VAHZ-ree-AHL. MISPRONOUNCE UNDER PAIN OF DEATH.  
  
Prince Letharen of the Old Kingdom, son of Prince Sameth and his wife, the daughter of the Clayr known as Vasrial, was an outsider, and none knew it better than he. A single glance at his fiery orange-red hair and silvery gray eyes, unlike any of the royal family, would attest to this fact. But the differences were more than skin deep. Leth was the only member of the royal family --ever, he was sure-- to have no distinguishing characteristics. He did not have the blood of the Abhorsen, or the Clayr, or the Wallmakers running in his veins. Poor Leth wasn't even a very good Charter mage.  
  
/I/, he thought to himself one day, /am a nobody. A nothing. A failure/. Even his dinky little sister, Ysande, had been lucky enough to be born a daughter of the Clayr. When Vasrial had come to visit Letharen's family, a year or two ago, she had realized this immediately and taken Ysande with her, back to the Clayr's Glacier.  
  
/Of course/, Leth reflected, /it's not like I could've been a daughter of the Clayr . . . but still/.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted when Sameth, his father, guided him into the royal chambers for a talk. Letharen began to complain, but then saw the look in Sam's eyes, and noticed the tear slowly trickling down his cheek-- but Sameth never cried!  
  
"F-Father! What's wrong?!" came out instead.  
  
"It's Lirael," came Sameth's response, in a would-be-calm sort of voice. "She's gone."  
* * * * * *  
  
Firali could do nothing but stare in disbelief as the tale of Lirael's disappearance tumbled from her mother's lips.  
  
"Listen," Ellimere began, "you know how Lirael left last month to aid the Clayr?"  
  
Firi nodded mutely, unable to speak.  
  
"Well, what your Uncle Sameth and "Uncle" Nicholas and I never mentioned to you young ones is that she had told us she would return by Midwinter's Day at the latest-- two weeks ago. Since that day went by, we've been worried, but haven't had anything to base our fears on."  
  
Ellimere paused. "Now we do."  
  
Cliffhanger time! Now for the blackmail: I'll only update this if and when I get three more reviews. *smiles sweetly* Don't you hate me now? 


	5. Finally, Some Facts

I'm so very happy! Thank you, Miste, Swanny, and Kavindra-- I'm so glad you actually reviewed it again! Wheeeee! Ooookayyyyyy, too much sugar . . . since you guys did review, a lot more than three times, here's the next chapter, as promised.  
  
A/N: I know my chapters have been pretty short, but they should start getting longer . . . reviewers out there: what would you prefer? Short but frequent chapters, or long but less frequent? Your decision . . .  
  
Disclaimer: If I were Garth Nix, I'd be writing another book about Lirael and them, not staring morosely at the computer screen and wondering why indeed I'm NOT Garth Nix.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
The power of words is simply amazing. When Letharen heard Sameth utter two in particular, along the lines of, "she's gone", his heart nearly stopped. Lirael couldn't be gone! She was one of the few constants in his life: the sun will rise. The Charter is good. Lirael is here.  
  
True, he'd never really gotten to know his great-aunt very well -- when Lirael wasn't out doing some sort of thing with dead people, she was instructing his ditzy younger cousin, Firali, in how to do the stuff she did-- but Letharen had always felt a sort of kinship with her. After all, hadn't she been an outsider as a child, too?  
  
So she couldn't be gone. It just wasn't, wasn't-- he fumbled for the proper word-- wasn't /right/. Usually reasonable and rather sedate, his mind took off on one of its few flights of fancy and imagination. She'd been hurt. She'd been captured. She'd been killed. She'd been--  
  
Leth, being a practical boy, for the most part, took a moment to marshal his thoughts. He should wait to find out the facts, shouldn't he? Take a deep breath-- who knew, maybe he was just totally misinterpreting what his father said.  
  
Fists clenching at his sides, he turned expectantly toward Sam, desperately trying to keep down the flood of panic that was threatening to overtake him.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Ellimere took a deep breath and forced herself to continue. "You remember how something went wrong with the Paperwings --/all/ of the Paperwings-- a little after Lirael left?"  
  
Firali nodded shakily. "Th-the commander of the Paperwing Brigade said he'd never s-seen any Paperwing ailment like it, in all the years he'd known Paperwings," she volunteered.  
  
The queen nodded grimly. "He was right. We didn't think anything of it at the time, but now that I've had a few Charter mages look into it, we're almost certain it was magic-brought. Of course," she continued, "the Paperwings are fine, now. I don't suppose they serve any purpose to the cause of their misfortune anymore . . . but I digress. The point is, when Lirael headed for home, she had to go on foot-- she wouldn't risk a horse on the Glacier's uneven footing any more than I would."  
  
"As it happens," Ellimere added, "she should have come home even before she'd planned to. I talked to the Voice of the Nine Day Watch just before I called you in, and she said that they were surprised to see Lirael at their door, about a month ago.  
  
Apparently," the woman frowned, "there was no "problem" the Clayr needed help with. The message Lirael received, telling her that they needed aid, was obviously just a ploy to get her away from the castle. Again, however, I digress."  
  
At this moment, Queen Ellimere paused to massage her forehead, wishing she didn't have to burden her daughter with this. Firali was so young, so joyful, so bright, so pure-- so needing-to-actually-face-the-real- world, she added firmly. This would be-- well, not /good/ for Firali, but . . . instructive, at least. /Besides/, Ellimere consoled herself, /it's not like she'll to be going after Lirael or anything/.  
  
"So," the queen continued wearily, "Lirael stayed with them for a day or two, visiting-- your Aunt Sanar and Aunt Ryelle are getting old, poor things, and were delighted to see her again-- and then, according to the Voice, set off for the Belisaere. Obviously enough, she didn't make it. When I spoke with the Voice, Annisele, she said that they had sent out the Clayr's Rangers two days after she left the Glacier, because-- remember?-- of that blizzard we had."  
  
Ellimere scowled. "Once more, not a coincidence-- and weather magic isn't hard for a powerful mage. Anyway, the Rangers traveled to the inn Lirael had been planning to stop at, to make sure she was doing all right. The innkeeper told them Lirael hadn't come."  
  
Firi was cold. A deep, throbbing, biting, aching cold, that penetrated her mind and her heart. It couldn't be. It just . . . couldn't.  
  
Ellimere continued doggedly on, but breathing raggedly, her speech coming in short, erratic bursts. "So the Rangers retraced her steps, and found Lirael's cloak-- laying on the ground-- covered in snow--"  
  
Firali shut her eyes tightly.  
  
"And-- on her cloak-- was pinned-- this poem. Here." Ellimere handed the scrap of paper to her daughter.  
  
Firali read it slowly, her terror growing with every word. This was what it said:  
  
Water climbing ever high / Grips the one whom you hold dear / Is it endless? Time is not-- / Swiftly go and swiftly fear.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Wheeee! Chapter ending! Incidentally, if you didn't notice, Annisele, Voic of the Nine Day Watch, is the girl who got her Sight on Lirael's fourteenth birthday. I hope you like this chapter, because a) it's longer than usual. b) we finally get some facts. c) I actually did research for this one (the Rangers, Annisele, etc). and d) I wrote a rhyming poem, which I'm rather proud of, since I'm really more of the free verse type. yay, me!!! For the more prosaic readers out there, this is what the poem basically is saying: the waterclimb that is the Fifth Gate, that you're supposed to get off of once you reach the Sixth Precinct, that no one knows how long it goes on for, has Lirael. It asks, is the waterclimb endless? Well, time isn't-- i.e, hurry up, go quickly, but be wary and afraid. Sorry the poem's in such a weird format, but I couldn't figure out how to put it the right way.  
  
PPLLLLEEEASSSEEE REVIEW!!!!!!  
  
--EvilG 


	6. The Rescue Party

Disclaimer: Lirael, Ellimere, the Clayr, etc. = PROPERTY OF GARTH NIX. Firali, Letharen, plot, etc. = PROPERTY OF EVILGENIUS92389. That bit of lint on the screen = PROPERTY OF WHOEVER YOU ARE. Yeah.  
  
A/N: Thanks, reviewers! By the way, it doesn't say I've updated unless I add another chapter. So please go back and look at my 'Finally, Some Facts' chapter, which I added a lot to. I know there's been a lot of dialogue 'n' description in the past few chapters, but as the plot gets underway, there'll be more action, I promise.  
  
flossy: thanks for the constructive criticism! Yeah, sorry about the extravagance of the beginning-- my muse, whose name is Mel O. Dramatica, is, well, a wee bit dramatic. You'll notice, though, that as my story develops, there's less of that.  
  
Kavindra: I hope you got my review of your story, where I kinda replied. Thank you sooo much! *happy dance*  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Sameth gave his son a concise version of what Ellimere had told Firi.  
  
"And the poem said, 'water climbing ever high / grips the one whom you hold dear/ Is it endless? Time is not-- / swiftly go and swiftly fear'. We don't know what to make of it. Your Aunt Ellimere is talking to your cousin, the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, about it as we speak, but at the moment, we don't even know if whoever wrote this meant it as a benevolent warning or a malevolent threat," he finished helplessly.  
  
Leth tried to block it out, block it ALL out. It was as bad as he'd feared.  
  
"So we're sending out a faction of the Royal Guard. The Clayr Saw your sister, Ysande, coming with them, so she'll be accompanying the Guard. So will Lirael's son, your "cousin" Ralim, being a Wallmaker and all . . ."  
  
Somewhere beneath the shock, Letharen felt a bolt of anger. Once again, rubbed in his face that the TALENTED ones, the ones of the important BLOODLINES, THEY got to go. Not Leth, no, never untalented, bloodless old Leth, HE would never be able to come.  
  
He felt a spark of jealousy for Ralim, a year and a half younger than him. When the two were younger, Ralim and Leth had played together-- before it transpired that the blood of the ancient Wallmakers coursed through Ral's veins. After that, Ralim had spent his time learning things from Sameth, who was delighted to find another of the Wallmakers. Letharen had been insanely jealous of Ral-- from his point of view, the boy's blood had taken Leth's father away.  
  
"Ellimere's daughter, Firali," Sam continued, "as the Abhorsen-in- Waiting, is too valuable to lose. She will merely take care of the usual duties of the Abhorsen until we find Lirael." Sameth didn't allow himself to think of what would happen if they didn't find her-- they just /had/ to!  
  
An idea had been rising in Letharen as his father spoke, as he listened to Sam mention all of his other cousins, all who had laid claim to a bloodline.  
  
"Dad! Let me come!" he blurted out.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
I should update pretty soon. Please take a billionth of a second out of your lives to tell me what you think of this!  
  
--EvilG 


	7. From Me to You

Disclaimer: Getting tired of thinking of amusing ways to ask you not to sue me-- your turn now.  
  
A/N: This'll just be a long author's note. Sorry, people, I didn't like ' "Dad! Let me come!" he blurted out' as a chapter ending, but I realized that unless I start a new chapter, FF.net won't say that I've updated, so no one will realize there's more to read. Also, I wanted to do a little bit of author's note stuff, which you can't really do mid-story, so here goes:  
  
Please check out my bio, I'm so proud-- I changed it today, and it's ever so purty! You get to meet my muses, Emoticon and Cola (you see, she's melodramatic, so from that we get melo, and from that we get mello-yellow, and from that we get cola . . . get it? Never mind.) So check it out! Oh, and if you want to say 'hi' or tell me what you think of In the Path of Lirael, you're welcome to email me (bookworm92389@yahoo.com) or IM me (EvilGenius92389) I love talking to people. Okay, I love talking, period, but that's not the point . . .  
  
By the way, I'm disappointed in you guys! Has no one figured out the play on words in the title? Hello-o. Remember in Lirael, when she finds the Dark Mirror, and the pipes, and the Book of Remembrance and Forgetting, it's on that path that she thinks is a crypt at first, called Lirael's Path? Lirael's Path. In the Path of Lirael. Connecting yet? *sigh*  
  
Kavindra Miette: Gosh, thanks again, Vindra. Your reviews make me feel like the energizer bunny-- I just keep smiling and smiling and smiling. About the italics thing: I haven't figured it out either. I do this: /blah/. or this: *blah*. For flashbacks, though, doing a line of *******s will work . . . I agree with you completely about the 'Dad' thing, though I'm feeling too lazy to go back and change it. I just didn't want Leth to keep going "father, father, father". 'Please' will work nicely. Thanks about the going back and changing thing (the Extended Edition of Lord of the Rings? I'm honored!). It's funny, right after I post it, I think it's perfect, but give me 10 minutes, and I'll see a zillion things I need to change . . . by the way, my email's right above (takes too long to type it again) if you don't want to communicate via reviews. Incidentally, I absolutely loooooove getting over-long reviews! Please! More!  
  
Swanny: Why, thank you! Two nice reviews! Wheeeeeeeeeee! About the Firali thing, well, you'll just have to find out, now won't you? Sabriel and Touchstone died about a year before the current time, as I say in 'Something of a Shock'. Yes, you will find out how Sabriel and Touchstone die (my apologies to those who hate me for killing them off, but it was vital to the plot-- if Sabriel didn't die, then Lirael couldn't be Abhorsen, and Firali couldn't be Abhorsen-in-Waiting, which would ruin the whole story), and yes, it is part of the plot, but it won't come into play until several chapters from now, sorry. About the billionth of a second: lol, type quicker! Good idea about Ellimere's heir, but that's Firali, as Ellimere's daughter . . . don't worry, though, Leth will be something . . . I'm planning something along the lines of, well, remember how two of the bright shiners decided bloodline was too shaky to put a Great Charter in, so they put it in the Charter Stones? And how Letharen is so obsessed with and hates bloodlines so much? Well, can't say anything else, don't wanna give it away . . .  
  
I'll update the story rather soon, all, don't worry. Review! Heck, review this chapter-- review my bio, my life, my comments to reviewers, whatever. Just review! NOW!!! 


	8. Sam's Rather Pertinent Flashback

Disclaimer: Me no Garth Nix. Me no write Old Kingdom books. Me no make money. Me no get sued. Please.  
  
A/N: Yup, I'm back in the game and writing the story again . . . sorry I took a while to update. By the way, I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but there are (or are going to be) several different, well, scenes, I guess. You've already seen the Firali one, and the Letharen one. There will also be a Clayr one (mainly Sanar and Ryelle), probably a Lirael one, and maybe a perspective for either Ralim or Ysande, I'm not sure yet. Firali's is the primary one, with Leth's close behind. The others aren't too important. Incidentally, reviewers, I love inventing names for my characters, however small their parts, but I'm told that my love of naming makes the story a little confusing to follow . . . so should I? Your choice, as always. Okay, I have a rather strange request: before I update again, I would like at least one, real-and-true flame. Don't get me wrong, I adore the 'good story, update soon' reviews, but I need criticism! Please give.  
  
Fire Pixie: Thank you sooooo much for both of your super-nice reviews! I try to be descriptive (sometimes I get too much so!) and that really made me smile to read what you said about my voice-- I try and pretend I'm telling a story. Did you read the other chapters?  
  
Swanny: sorry about the Path of Lirael thing, didn't mean to underestimate anyone. I'd just assumed that everyone got it, and then my friend was like, "Path? What is this 'path' you speak of?" so I thought it worth mentioning. Glad you noticed ( . . . . Thanks for helping Kavindra-- read her story! You're completely right about the heir thing-- I honestly hadn't thought of that. Smart you! I guess Garth Nix gets poetic license or something, though I don't . . . it's a good idea about Leth being her heir, but there are a few problems. For one thing *grins evilly* I have plans for Leth, oh my yes. Also, if he were heir, he'd know it by now, wouldn't he, and then he wouldn't feel like nothing. I don't mean to be argumentative, just playing the devil's advocate . . .  
  
* * * * * *  
  
(Flashback)  
  
Sam cursed to himself. /By the Wallmakers, _why_ had I been so foolish as to take my children with me on my trip, when it was so near to Red Lake? Stupid, stupid, stupid/! Letharen, who was ten, and Ysande, two years younger, had begged to come with him on his trip. Sameth had agreed, though he knew they would be passing by Red Lake, only because he had assumed that, so long after the re-binding of Orannis, the place would be free of Dead. He had been wrong.  
  
The group of Lesser Dead approached. Sameth sucked in his breath and his courage. "Leth," he murmured hurriedly, "protect your sister. Cover your ears if you hear my pipes. I'll-- I'll come back if I can. I love you both."  
  
He rushed off to face the Dead, already blowing on Saraneth, the Binder . . .  
  
Letharen was scared. He tried not to show it, though, as he brusquely ordered Ysande to stand behind him, very much the picture of a protective older brother.  
  
A Dead Hand came upon the children then. Ysande and Leth panicked. He /knew/ Charter marks to get rid of it, he /did/. Many of them, in fact-- his grandmother, the Abhorsen Sabriel, thought no age was too young to start learning self defense, and the Dead were her specialty. What these marks were, however, he couldn't for the life of him remember.  
  
/No no no no no no no no *no*/! he thought. /Leave! Go away, you awful things, just go away! Run AWAY!/ and, scarcely realizing what he was doing, threw that-- all of his wishes for the Dead creature to walk away and leave them-- into the scream he then uttered with all his might.  
  
"YAAAHHHH!" Letharen cried, and if Sam had been there, he would have noticed the tinge of both Free and Charter Magic in his yell.  
  
Amazingly, the Dead Hand stumbled away, and disappeared into Death a moment later. Leth was so busy being jubilant and hugging his sister that he didn't notice as the rest of the group of Dead disappeared, too.  
  
That was when Sameth first started watching Letharen closely.  
  
*End of flashback"  
  
Okay, if I don't get some detailed reviews after such a (semi) long wait, I will be MAD. Review, you!  
  
--EvilG 


	9. An Abhorsen's Duty

Disclaimer: Garth Nix has a life, so he doesn't write more Old Kingdom stories. I have no life, so I DO write Old Kingdom stories. Thus, I cannot be Garth Nix. Therefore, I make no money and do not wish to be sued. Got it?  
  
A/N: Wow, I started updating, like, every day or two. Now it takes me more than three days! Shame on me. Anyhoo, hope everyone had a supercalafragilistic (or however you spell that!) Halloween. Okeydoke, now that all that's out of the way, time for the notes to the reviewers . . . oh, wait, two more things first: for one, I WANNA FRIGGIN' FLAME!!! Lol, is that too much to ask? I know a lot of writers who are bombarded with 'em-- hey, guess I should take it as a compliment . . .  
  
Secondly, please review this! I mean, if you're reading this right now, and not planning on doing so, well, it takes such a tiny amount of your time to make someone (me) happier. And I make a point of always writing a little to the reviewers in the next chapter, 'cause I love it when someone does that to me. So when you write a review, be it nice or evil, several things happen: 1) I go around grinning for the rest of the day, completely delighted that someone REVIEWED my STORY, 2) you get a comment/answer in my next chapter, 3) I make an effort to put out my next chapter sooner than usual, 4) I will, unless I have a good reason not to, take your suggestions on how I can make it better, and it'll be more pleasurable for everyone to read, and 5) I'll type up a nice long review to a story I see, because I like the idea of paying it forward and giving something nice because I received something nice, thus brightening another's day. So review!  
  
Fire Pixie: Ohmigosh, thank you sooooooooo much for adding me to your favorites! Whoa, talk about a warm fuzzy feeling! I was super cheery for, like, three days after (after that, I went back to my naturally grouchy and snappish self(-: ) Thanks.  
  
otakuprincess: why, thank you, that really made my day . . . NOW GIVE ME THAT PROMISED EMAIL!!!! I've been waiting for a looooong, loooooong time. ( lol, thanks for the nice review.  
  
Kavindra: For the twenty-zillionth time, thanks so much for the nice review! Your reviews are a big chunk of what makes me sit down in front of the laptop and type up another page when I don't feel like it. More specifically, yes, Leth does indeed have some power, power which will be rather important to my story . . . sorry, can't say more . . . I wanna flame!!! Now I'm sulking in the corner . . . oh, wait! Constructive criticism-- almost as good. I agree about the 'yah' but he had to scream SOMETHING, and it couldn't be an actual word, for reasons you'll understand when you find out about Leth's power . . . ooooh, I love giving teasers! And if it were 'aaagggghhhh' or something, it would sound like just a scream of fear, when it's supposed to be fear and anger. Happy to pass your story along. Anyway, gotta get to MY story . . .  
  
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An analytical corner of the part of Firali's mind that still worked supposed that she was going into shock. The rest of Firi's brain was divided fairly equally between being comatose and trying desperately to listen to Ellimere's words.  
  
It seemed to be years ago that the servant, Jalen, had called her into her mother's room, and decades since Firi had been perturbed by of a feeling of foreboding.  
  
"So," the queen finished, "we can make nothing of it. Uncle Sameth was thinking that you, being Abhorsen-in-Waiting, might understand a bit of it. Do you, dear?"  
  
"Yes, I . . . I think so," Firali replied slowly, pausing frequently. "In the Fifth Precinct-- in Death, that is-- the Fifth Gate is a waterclimb . . . the opposite of a waterfall. To get to the Sixth Precinct of your own accord, you need a spell . . . it'll make you get off the waterclimb, onto the Sixth Precinct . . . nobody knows how long it goes on for . . . and . . . apparently . . . it's got Lirael stuck there . . ." her voice faltered as she realized what she was saying.  
  
"And we can figure the rest out ourselves," Ellimere added, realizing how close her daughter was to breaking down.  
  
Firi smiled gratefully at her mother and took a deep breath. "So when am I leaving?" she asked.  
  
Seeing the look of surprise on Queen Ellimere's face, Firali said reasonably, "Well, I need to find her, and I'm the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, I could help. So when am I leaving?" she repeated.  
  
Ellimere's eyes flashed dangerously. "/Absolutely not/!" she snapped, sounding like her old self again. "You are most certainly NOT going /anywhere/!  
  
"But, Mother--!" Firi began.  
  
"But nothing! For one thing, the kingdom needs you. What happens if an army of the Dead attack in Belisaere while you're off trying to rescue Lirael? We'd have no one, no one at all, to help keep the Dead down in the Old Kingdom! And for another thing--"  
  
Firali suddenly noticed the tears threatening in her mother's eyes.  
  
"--I lost my father, I lost my mother, I may have lost Lirael, and /I'm not losing you/!" Ellimere cried.  
  
There was nothing for the young princess to say.  
  
"Now, then," Ellimere's voice softened, as she continued as though nothing had happened. "You'll stay here and do the job of the Abhorsen, until Lirael comes back."  
  
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Well, remember, please review! Next chapter, or the one after it, will definitely have more action, as the story is finally beginning to get underway. PLEASE review!  
  
As always, EvilG 


	10. Sameth, a Stone, and Other Good Things

Disclaimer: If you copy my story or Firali, Leth, Ysande, Ralim, Jalen, Vasrial, etc, they will bite you. Hah!  
  
A/N: Looking under my bed this morning (don't ask me why), I saw a lot of bunnies. Most of them were dust, but one was a plotbunny. A rabid one-- I now have a scar on my arm. As usual, though, I need to get to the point: it's plotbunny time, so I'm not going to write much here besides the story. Well, to be honest, I've had this plotbunny for a while, it just was rather blunt today. I PROMISE I'll do notes to reviewers-- if I GET any reviews!-- tomorrow, or whenever I update next . . . this chapter is semi-action-y, but it'll be full blown in the next few . . .  
  
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Sam's initial reaction was to cry out, "no!" to Letharen. He restrained himself, though, and said nothing for a moment while he sifted through his thoughts.  
  
Though Sameth's every bone rebelled against sending his son off to almost certain danger, he forced himself to look deeper. He was well aware of Leth's apart-ness and outcast-hood among the palace and Abhorsen's House children, although Sam, from the perspective of the uninvolved, could also see that much of it was self-inflicted. Being drawn apart from the others had made Leth shut himself away more than bloodlines would ever have been able.  
  
It was rather, Sam thought, like the situation Lirael had faced-- as she got older, everyone else gaining the Sight, as she tucked herself away-- but different, too. Had Lirael grown up in a different situation, one where her parents were alive while she was growing up, she could have been a happy, rather outgoing person. It was her environment that had molded her into the person she was.  
  
But with Leth, Sameth sensed, no matter what had happened, Leth would have been the way he was. It wasn't the situation, it was his character. Even before it transpired that Leth had no special bloodline or gift, he had always been-- aloft. Alone. Outside.  
  
And what it would mean to Letharen if he could go with his cousins-- it would mean the world. It had been so long since Leth was really happy . . .  
  
Sameth's voice broke the silence. "To be honest, Leth, I'll need to think about it. If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone for a while to do so . . ." he trailed off.  
  
Leth nodded curtly, showing none of his emotions on his face, as he hastily walked out the door.  
  
There was a lot to think about. Leth made his way to where the Charter Stones-- the Great ones, all together-- were.  
  
(A/N: can't find my book and forgot the place's name).  
  
It was his favorite place to think-- or play-- or do anything, really. Apparently, everyone liked it, though Leth felt somehow that he liked it more than anyone else did. He also, strangely enough, felt somehow- - possessive-- about the Stones. Not possessive as in, "this is MY place to relax", but somehow deeper. He'd always had something of an affinity with stone, he loved it as deeply and almost subconsciously as he hated all of that fuss over bloodlines. It was a part of him.  
  
He hadn't been to the Great Charters in quite some time, though, and couldn't help but brighten as he did so.  
  
As Leth made himself comfortable and turned his thoughts over to Lirael and that mess, a beautiful stone caught his eye-- about the size of his fist, it was as round as a natural, uncut stone could be, with glimmers of all types of rocks in it.  
  
/Wow/, he thought to himself, /that bit could only be pyrite, but over here it's almost flintlike! And I'd swear that's quartz over there/ Leth thought gleefully, caught up in a rock-collecter's joy at finding something new and interesting.  
  
He was more than a little surprised when it showed just how new and interesting it was-- by speaking to him  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Ooooh, cliffie! Well, happy now? I know it's not real action, not yet, but doncha think it's getting there? I have the next chapter already typed up, but I'm waiting for some reviews, constructive criticism, and flames before I post it. MWAHAHAHAHA! Well, click that pretty gray button and start reviewing!  
  
--EvilG 


	11. Kibeth's Nameless

Disclaimer: I promise to put them back when I'm done and take good care of them, Mr. Nix . . .  
  
A/N: Yes, I know, I know, it's been over a week since I last updated. *hangs head* Well, if I'd gotten more reviews, maybe I would've posted sooner! Shame on you . . . 'Skaath' is pronounced SKAHTH, okay? By the way, here's a rather important note: I know a few of you have commented that not much has really happened yet. Well, for one thing, everything I've done so far has basically just been setting the stage for the story. I've barely started, really, and it'll get a lot more action soon. Other thing: I don't know if anybody realized, but this is going to be a VERY long story that'll take quite a while to write. If I continue at my normal pace, it prob'ly won't be finished by the end of the year. Hope that's okay. You learn a lot of info in this chapter, hope you like it . . .  
  
"blah" = speech /blah/ = thoughts ~~blah~~ = mental speech  
  
'Vindra: ohhhh, yeah, but I don't think the rock would be so happy to be called his pet! BTW, you're getting verrrry close in your speculations . . . you'll find out for sure either in this chapter or the next. If you think you're getting close to something, email me! I'd love to hear what you think but we don't want your thoughts to spoil it for anyone else, NOW DO WE? lol . . . by the way, thanks for the plotbunny tip-- I got them a nice, fresh, Mary Sue to munch on. Poor girl, she's in shreds now . . .  
  
Swanny: hope you found the Garth Nix section again . . . sorry about the Reservoir thing-- I couldn't remember! 'Gray' is, I guess, the American word for 'grey', and yes, I did mean gray-- maybe it's not on your screen, but on mine, it's grayish. And as for everything else you said, well, everything'll be explained in this chapter. SO START READING!!!  
  
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Or rather, it didn't exactly SPEAK to him. Letharen picked up the amazing stone and heard --well, not /heard/, exactly-- something he could only describe as a voice, within his head.  
  
~~I beg your pardon, little pebble, but why are you handling me? Put me down this instant!~~  
  
It was a rather lofty "voice", arrogant and cultured. Leth gaped. "I-- I-- mmmm-- uh--" he stuttered. The rock seemed to sigh mentally, and then Leth felt the strangest sensation-- almost as though something was looking through his brain, flipping through it like a book.  
  
Suddenly, he felt the stone's presence draw back with a start.  
  
~~Mother Flint and Father Boulder! You are he, you are the one!~~ it sent in shock.  
  
Now, Leth had had enough. Between Lirael's disappearance and this-- this /rock/-- speaking to him, telling him he was "the one"-- Leth moaned. He took a deep breath and said shakily, "okay, start from the beginning,"  
  
~~You are the one!~~ sent the stone with what appeared to be a mixture of reverence and impatience.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Letharen, with only curiosity in his voice. The magnitude of this-- he was talking to a rock!-- appeared to sink in, and he was getting over his fear. He loved rocks, and now he could talk to them!  
  
~~Well, let us start at the beginning. I am Ss'kaaath'ri, and you are Letharen.~~  
  
"Leth, please," he broke in faintly. The rock, which had been far more pleasant to the boy since realizing that he was "the one", continued.  
  
~~Very well. Leth. I had forgotten humans were so interested in short- names. This being the case, you will call me . . . hmmm . . . Skaath, I think. And really, little pebble Leth, there's no need for you to speak aloud-- how vulgar!~~  
  
At that, a little of Leth's self came back to him. "No thanks, I'll stay how I am. Why should I change to make you happy?" he asked pointedly, aloud. The rock-- Skaath-- snorted mentally.  
  
"Anyway," Leth continued, "what's this 'one' you mentioned? Why am I he? What does that mean? And why in the name of the Charter can I talk to a rock?!"  
  
~~In my day, pebbles like you knew this kind of thing! Ah, well . . . the times aren't like they once were . . . anyway, YOU are the one-- the heir of Kibeth's Nameless.~~  
  
Letharen looked blank. " 'Kibeth's Nameless'?"  
  
~~Yes, Kibeth's Nameless-- Mother Flint, where do I start? Pebble Leth, you know that rhyme that smaller pebbles learn, about the Great Charters? 'Five Great Charters knit the land', et cetera?~~ Skaath asked.  
  
Leth nodded mutely.  
  
~~Well, you know how it tells that most of the Great Charters were put in bloodlines, and many of the Bright Shiners were the first of each of the bloodlines-- Saraneth for the Abhorsen, etc?~~  
  
The boy groaned inwardly. Not bloodlines again! But, "yes, I know," he muttered.  
  
~~Right. And you know how one of the Bright Shiners decided that blood was too shaky to put a Great Charter in, so they put it "in stone and mortar"-- the Charter Stones. And you also know how, a little over twenty years ago, the heirs of the Bright Shiners stood against the Destroyer in a ceremony enacted by the Remembrancer.~~ stated Skaath. It wasn't a question, but Leth nodded again anyway.  
  
~~And you know that, in this ceremony, Kibeth, in the form of a dog, stood for herself?~~ Skaath continued.  
  
Letharen nodded yet again, but said in confusion and annoyance, "I don't understand. What are you leading up to?"  
  
It was by far one of the most curious experiences in Leth's life to feel the stone roll its eyes in Leth's head.  
  
~~Foolish young pebble! Don't you get it?! YOU ARE THE HEIR OF KIBETH AND HER NAMELESS ONES-- those who are not chosen by bloodline, those who have an affinity toward stone, which they can speak with, because Kibeth placed their and her Great Charter in the Stones, those who can use Free Magic, and who hate bloodlines!~~  
  
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Ooooh . . . the plot thickens! Hope those who were speculating about Leth's power weren't disappointed by the outcome! If it was unclear to anybody, please tell me so in your reviews and I'll clarify . . . please, please, PLEASE review!  
  
--EvilG 


	12. General Clarifications

Hate to disappoint anybody who thinks I updated today, but this'll just be a quick note to a pair of reviewers, though all would do well to read it . . .  
  
Thank you, both of you. Sorry about the 'the one' thing. Perhaps I should clarify: Skaath calls Letharen 'the one' because, since Kibeth's Nameless aren't passed along by bloodline, every few generations (about every hundred years or so) the new Nameless One is sort of chosen by the first rock who comes upon the person once they are of age (usually a teenager). So every rock makes a sort of routine check upon the minds of people who they see-- that was when Leth felt the rock in his mind. Those who are destined to be one of the Nameless, well, it shows in their mind, and the rocks feel it calling to them. Now, it's very rare for any one rock to be the one to find a Nameless, so Skaath was a little excited. Also, Skaath is a rather dramatic being, as rocks go. Lol . . . and Mother Flint and Father Boulder are the deities of the rocks, and sometimes of Kibeth's Nameless. Kinda the equivalent of the Charter or the Bright Shiners. Does that clear everything up? 


End file.
